Our History

The Reason…

It was 1983. I had just worked myself out of my fifth job in three years. I’d been through it all: plant closings, layoffs, commission cuts, slashed territories, promises made and broken. No matter how well I performed, the rules kept changing on me. It got me to thinking, how many other people are going through the same thing? I wanted greater job stability. So I decided to go into business for myself. I knew I could build a business on helping others like me – technical employees who were victims of manufacturing’s peaks and valleys. My objective was to do whatever I could to put their skills to work and help them gain stability.

The Beginning…

It all started with a Sunkist orange crate that I bought from my employer. That crate contained three things: a book of rules and regulations for Licensed Employment Agencies, a set of customer contacts, and a stack of resumes – everything I needed to go into the people business. I came home to my wife and told her I’d just quit my job. In shock, she asked what we were going to do. I said, “We’re starting our own business!” She only hesitated for a moment, then looked at me with resolve and said “Okay”. Right then and there, we prayed for the blessing to make it happen. Talk about a shoestring! I got TPS’ original logo and letterhead design done in exchange for a breakfast. Then my wife bartered her secretarial skills with the building owner for 64 square feet of office space.

The Vision…

We certainly weren’t the biggest – but we were going to be the best contract services and personnel placement company in West Michigan. Our goal was to help employers find the right people at the right time and in the process, to help people find jobs. We didn’t worry about profit; we knew that with the right motivation, whatever we did would be successful. My vision was to have personnel directors call me with a position to fill, and as we’re talking, have a resume on their desk. That’s why we were the first employment agency in West Michiganto have a Fax machine. I actually made a deal with the sales rep that he would guarantee me two weeks before selling a Fax to any other employment agency. Of course, good news travels fast. Two months later they all had one! But as far as I know, TPS was the first.

Besting the Competition…

You get back what you put in – you treat people well, they do a good job. That’s why TPS started as a contract services company, not a ‘temp’ agency. We made our people full-time employees with paid holidays, vacation and hospitalization insurance. Now we offer one of the best overall insurance programs in the market – everything from medical to dental to life. When they saw our success, other companies jumped on the bandwagon and changed their approach from professional temp services to contract services. Today there are over 120 employment agencies in West Michigan, but there’s a lot of turnover. Many of them are here today, gone tomorrow. TPS is different. We’re here today and there tomorrow!